New Whistler Community Arts Council brochure maps local art

In a move to increase awareness of local artists in Whistler and Pemberton, the Whistler Community Arts Council has developed a new brochure detailing how to find them.

"The intent of the Walking Tour Brochure is to give residents and visitors an opportunity to view and know the exact locations of Whistler's public art, galleries and businesses that consistently display local artists in one comprehensive brochure," says Doti Niedermayer, executive director of the WCAC.

Previously, there was no brochure that specifically highlighted where you can find public art and local artist venues.

Niedermayer says the idea behind the brochure is to give visitors a chance to do their own walking tour of venues around town.

Twenty-thousand copies of the Walking Tour Brochure will be printed and distributed from Oct. 4, so that locals can point out exactly where to send their guests to view art.

When the public art committee put together an idea for a brochure to highlight public art in the area, Niedermayer suggested they also include local artists.

"We kind of jumped on the bandwagon, and we wanted to be inclusive and include all artists.

"My issue is to be inclusive, so its really comprehensive in whats listed here," she says.

There are several public art displays along the length of Village Park in Village North, including Celine Richs Glacial Traces, a patterns in paving stones design in between the Brewhouse and Millennium Place, and Sightlines, bronze objects by Jennifer Maklem and Kip Jones (both created in 1998) on the pedestrian bridge in the same area.

Birdhouses is part of the annual Whistler arts experience event where new artists create jazzy versions of the feeders, which are mounted in local parks.

Additional public art projects include Wayfinder, a mast and map combination from Dwight Atkinson at the Northlands Boulevard end of Village Park, the Drinking Fountain, a stone piece from artist Simone Weber-Luckham across the boulevard from Wayfinder, and the Storytellers Chair, behind the library, which features the phrase "once upon a time" in multiple languages, from artist Carlos Basanta. These works were created in 2000.

A foldout map will indicate the location and address of each venue, in addition to a list of other venues that includes local services like Internet cafes, and the Whistler Public Library.

Projects whose location is outside the Whistler Village map, and therefore not included on the foldout map, include the following: the Bridge Art Project, the Whisky Jack Balance and Carving Turn at Creekside, Meadow Park Spray Pool featuring Artists in Waiting, outdoor sculptures at the Roundhouse, In the Works glass snowflakes at Village Park East, and the Four Seasons Resort Hotel plan for public art (currently in progress).

"We have also listed artists in the area that had studios open to the public for art lovers who might be interested in making a visit to local studios," adds Niedermayer.

Hemlock Printing of Vancouver offset costs by covering half the price of printing the brochure.

In other WCAC news, Niedermayer says the arts council plans to organize an ArtWalk for July and August of 2003.

A similar brochure will also be available then, featuring only participating businesses.

The look and feel of the ArtWalk brochure will be similar to the Walking Tour Brochure for public art.

"ArtWalks are organized in many towns across B.C. that do not have a public art gallery, and therefore need alternative venues in which to exhibit the work of local and regional artists," says Niedermayer.

The format could include, for example, an art exhibit which is displayed for one month, then alters its lineup for the following month.

In this way the ArtWalk would be an ongoing event over the summer months.

The difference between the focus of the new Walking Tour brochure and an event like the Artwalk, is that the Artwalk "organizes businesses to participate in the arts experience."